Business as Usual Read Free Page B

given you everything you could ever ask for and I ask you to do one
thing for me, and you can’t help me out? And it’s not like an arranged marriage
is really a crime.”
    I folded both of my arms. “Semantics. And the
guilt trip is not working.”
    “Three years, that’s all I ask. Ethan is a
respectful young man, his father and I are good friends, and we know the two of
you will get along. I know you love Danny. But… he’s not right for you, honey.”
    “And Ethan is?”
    I turned away from my father, sighing.
    “You promised you would do anything for me,
Elizabeth. I dedicated my entire life to raising you, putting you through
college, and helping you buy your condo. When have I asked for anything in
return?”
    “I never asked for any of those things!” I
countered.
    “When your mother walked out,” he said, voice
lowering, “who stayed behind to pick up the pieces? When you were devastated, I
was there for you,” father accused.
    How long was he going to use that against me? Of course Dad was
right. He was there for me, through thick and thin, rain hail sleet or snow.
But I couldn’t help but wonder… if he was willing to break laws to build his
hotel, would he be willing to engage in illegal maneuvers for Byron Energy?
Were the rumors true? I didn’t want to know.
    “I’m a proud man,” my father said. “Please,
Lizzie. Don’t make me ask again.”
    And that was his plea. Don’t make him ask
again. From the sound of his voice I knew the hotel wasn’t the only thing
on the line. “What are you so afraid of?” I asked.
    Dad
sighed, and his jaws tensed as he shoved his hands into his pockets and looked
down. “Please, honey? You’re the only person in the world I can turn to right
now. I need you, sweetie.”
     
    My
heart broke when I looked into Daddy’s eyes. The marriage would be a piece of
paper, legal and binding like numerous contracts I signed throughout the week.
Then it would be over. Ethan was in on the plan so nothing would really change,
except marrying Danny would happen later than I originally planned.
    “And how long would I have to stay married to
him?” I begrudgingly asked.
    “Three years and that’s it, honey.”
    Dad gathered the prenuptial agreement from the
table and held it before me.
    “Ethan already signed.”
    Dad pointed at Ethan’s signature. Was this really
happening? Would I go through with something so shady? Would my father ask me
to do something like this if he weren’t in serious trouble?
    I wanted to ask him about his problems again,
but I knew he would never tell me. Dad would not want me to worry about him.
All I had to do was get married and pretend to be in love for three years to
help my father with a multi-billion dollar deal. Thinking about it further,
what was in it for Mr. Yu and his son? Like Ethan said, there were other
businesses he could easily invest in and monitor from China. Something was
going on and I was determined to get to the bottom of it. Just as Daddy’s stock
was beginning to recover, AmeriAsia was on the scene again. The timing was
suspect and Daddy was nervous.
    “Fine, Daddy… I’ll do it. But hell or high
water, if this thing lasts more than three and a half years, I’m done. Contract
or not.”
    Marrying Ethan would get me that much closer to
the truth. It was a sacrifice worth making for a man who had endured so much
over the past few years. Lies, treachery, and hostile takeovers…he’d been
through it all and was still standing. I was certain he had a plan and would
let me in on it later, I just had to dig up the evidence he needed when the
time was right.
    In a fit of excitement Dad pulled me into a
bear hug, sweeping me off of my feet as he spun me around.
    “Thank you, Lizzie! You won’t regret this, I
promise baby. I know this is a bit of a sacrifice, but on the plus side, a few
perks comes with the arrangement.”
    Dad set me back on my feet and flipped through
the pages of the contract.
    “You get